Fire Line » Public Education

Free Locks for Recycle Bins in Greenwood

vanders — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:18:52 +0000

In an effort to help keep burnable materials secure, Seattle Public Utilities will provide locks for commercial recycling, garbage and food waste containers in the Greenwood neighborhood, within the boundaries of NW 75th Street to North 90th Street and from 3rd Ave NW to Fremont Ave North. Residents and business owners can call Waste Management Customer Service at 1-800-592-9995 to get a free lock for containers provided by Seattle Public Utilities contracted service providers.

Seattle Fire Department encourages residents to continue to be vigilant about cleaning up around their businesses and homes. Click on the following links for additional tips on how to prevent arson.

Arson Tips for Residents:
http://www.seattle.gov/fire/fmo/Info/Arson%20Tips%20for%20Residential.pdf

Arson Tips for Businesses:
http://www.seattle.gov/fire/fmo/Info/Arson%20Tips%20for%20Business.pdf

Arson Tips in Spanish:
http://www.seattle.gov/fire/fmo/Info/Arson%20Tips%20in%20Espanol.pdf

Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery When You Change Your Clock

vanders — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:41 +0000

As the end of Daylight Saving Time approaches on Sunday, November 1st, the Seattle Fire Department wants to remind residents to change their smoke alarm batteries when they change their clocks. Smoke alarms powered by lithium long-life batteries do not need to be changed yearly.

Most fire deaths happen in homes without working smoke alarms. The most commonly cited cause of nonworking smoke alarms: dead or missing batteries. In a home fire, a working smoke alarm can cut the risk of death by half.

The Seattle Fire Department can install smoke alarms and batteries free of charge in homes where the homeowner is either a senior citizen, living on a low income, or has a disability. If you live outside the city of Seattle, please contact your local Fire Department to request assistance.

Smoke alarm maintenance is one of the simplest methods of protecting your home and family from fires. For more information or to request assistance changing smoke alarms and batteries contact the Seattle Fire Department at (206) 386-1337.

Home Heating Safety Tips from Seattle Fire Department

vanders — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:37:03 +0000

Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January and February, and even though it’s only October, cold temperatures outside mean Seattle residents are turning on heaters at home. As the cold weather begins, please keep in mind that while baseboard heaters are very efficient, they can be a serious fire hazard if used carelessly. Common sense can prevent a baseboard heater fire. Any time a flammable object comes in contact with a heater, a fire could result.

Home Heating Safety Tips

Keep items away from all heaters, including baseboard heaters.
All furniture, curtains, or any other items should be kept at least 12 inches away from baseboard heaters.
Never block the flow of heat.
Have your heating systems and chimneys inspected, cleaned and repaired prior to the heating season.

Make certain smoke alarms are installed on every level of your home and outside every sleeping area. Test your smoke alarms monthly. You should change the batteries at least once a year unless you use long life lithium batteries which last up to ten years.

For more fires safety information visit: http://www.seattle.gov/fire/pubEd/brochures/brochures.htm

Seattle Fire Kicks off Fire Prevention Month Friday

vanders — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:26:22 +0000

On Friday, October 2, the Seattle Fire Department, in partnership with the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) will kick off Fire Prevention Month with a special program: Lessons of the Past & Present: What the Seattle Fire can teach us about fire safety today. Admission to the museum will be free, and from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., visitors can tour antique fire trucks, a modern ladder truck and see arson dog demonstrations with Henny the Arson Dog.

Inside MOHAI, kids can talk with firefighters about their jobs today, and enjoy firefighter story times and fire safety activities. Also on view is the Great Seattle Fire exhibit which includes the infamous glue pot that supposedly started the massive blaze.

During October, MOHAI educators, in partnership with the Seattle Fire Department, will be offering an elementary classroom program: Cracking the History Code: Lessons of the Great Seattle Fire. Registration is available at www.seattlehistory.org.

For a complete schedule of Seattle Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Month activities, including Firefighter Story Times at Seattle Public Libraries, visit www.seattle.gov/fire

New Smoke Alarms Installed in 33 Haller Lake Homes

vanders — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:49:45 +0000

The Seattle Fire Department Public Education Unit organized a smoke alarm canvas event at a mobile home park near Haller Lake earlier this month. Firefighters from Fire Station 24 and Spanish speaking volunteers from the Red Cross went door-to-door installing smoke alarms and handing out fire safety information. Thirty-three homes received new smoke alarms.

Seattle homeowners can contact the Seattle Fire Department Public Education Office at 206.386.1337 to see if they qualify for a free smoke alarm installation. To learn more about smoke alarms visit: http://www.seattle.gov/fire/pubEd/smokealarms/smokeAlarms.htm.

October is Fire Prevention Month

vanders — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:50:13 +0000

This October, the Seattle Fire Department is hosting a series of events for children and families to celebrate Fire Prevention Month.

Lessons of the Past & Present: What the Great Seattle Fire can teach us about fire safety today.

Hosted by the Musuem of History and Industry on Friday, October 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tour antique fire trucks
Talk with firefighters and learn about their jobs today
Arson dog demonstrations
Firefighter story times
Fire safety activities for kids
Seattle Fire Department history
Tour the Great Seattle Fire exhibit
FREE ADMISSION- Bring your families!

Firefighter Story Times and The Seattle Public Library

Firefighters read fire safety stories to preschoolers at local library branches throughout the month.

Thursday, October 1
Central Library @ 10:30 AM
With Fire Chief Gregory Dean

Friday, October 2
Museum of History & Industry @ 10:30

Wednesday, October 7
Capital Hill Branch @ 10:30 AM
With Fire Marshal Chief John Nelsen

Thursday, October 8
University Branch @ 10:30 AM

Wednesday, October 14
High Point Branch @ 3:00 PM

Thursday, October 15
Lake City Branch @ 10:30 AM
Fremont Branch @ 11:00 AM

School Programs and the Museum of History and Industry: Cracking the History Code: Lessons of the Great Seattle Fire

Offered throughout the month of October
Facilitated by museum educators and the Seattle Fire Department
To register: www.seattlehistory.org

Seattle Fire Department to Canvas Mobile Home Park in Haller Lake with Smoke Alarms

vanders — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:23:35 +0000

In an effort to increase the number of homes with working smoke alarms, on Saturday, September 12 Seattle firefighters will go door-to-door installing smoke alarms and replacing smoke alarm batteries in a mobile home park in the Haller Lake neighborhood. The canvas will begin at North 125th Street and Stone Ave. N.

Nationally, over 20% of homes do not have working smoke alarms and most deaths caused by fire happen in homes without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm can cut the risk of death by half in a residential fire.

Seattle homeowners who do not receive a visit from the Seattle Fire Department on September 12 can contact the Seattle Fire Department Public Education Office at 206.386.1337 to see if they qualify for a free smoke alarm installation. To learn more about smoke alarms visit: http://www.seattle.gov/fire/pubEd/smokealarms/smokeAlarms.htm.

Firefighters Reward Kids for Proper Helmet Use

vanders — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:07:09 +0000

On Friday, July 17, firefighters from Engine 29 in West Seattle were at Alki Beach handing out Safety Citations to children who were properly wearing their helmets. Each citation entitles the child to a free child-size sandwich at participating Subway locations. The program will continue through the summer at Fire Stations throughout the City. The goal of the program is to reduce the incidence of childhood head injuries.

According to the National SAFE Kids Coalition, head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes and is the most important determinant of bicycle-related death and permanent disability. Head injuries account for more than 60 percent of bicycle-related deaths, more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions and about one-third of hospital emergency room visits for bicycling injuries. The single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes is a helmet.

Firefighters from Engine 29 help a child adjust her helmet.

Children riding any kind of wheels should be wearing helmets!

Dry Weather Fire Safety

vanders — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:47:40 +0000

So far in the month of July, the Seattle Fire Department has responded to more than 150 warm weather-related fires involving dry grass, bark and shrubs. Seattle residents can help reduce the chance of such outdoor fires by following a few simple steps:

• Remove long grass, weeds or anything that can burn from around your home. This includes limbs that touch your home or hang near the roof.

• Remove dead plants or bushes as soon as possible.

• Clear roof and gutters of needles and leaves.

• Make sure cigarettes have cooled completely before throwing them out. Carelessly discarded cigarettes can easily start a fire in dry conditions.

For a Summer Fire Safety Fact Sheet, visit: http://www.seattle.gov/fire/pubEd/brochures/Summer%20Safety.pdf

Firefighters douse a brush fire in West Seattle. Photo by West Seattle Blog

There have been more than 150 brush and bark fires in the City of Seattle since July 1. Photo by West Seattle Blog

Plan a Safe Fourth of July

vanders — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:05:13 +0000

With Fourth of July around the corner, the Seattle Fire Department would like to remind the public that there are no legal fireworks in the City of Seattle. Fireworks present a safety risk to those who use them and a fire hazard to property. Every year, the Seattle Fire Department responds to fireworks-related fires and injuries, and each and every one of these incidents could be avoided.

Seattle Statistics:

• Between January 2000 and July 2008, the Seattle Fire Department responded to 137 fireworks related fires.

• The estimated cost of damages for fireworks related fires between January 2000 and July 2008 amounted to nearly one million dollars.

• In 2005, at least 15 Seattle residents were treated at hospitals due to fireworks-related injuries.

• The City Council’s 1993 decision to ban fireworks has dramatically reduced the number of fires and injuries caused by fireworks.

Any fireworks related fires or injuries should be reported directly to 911, however, on July 4, 911 centers become overloaded with non-emergency fireworks calls. Do not call 911 unless you have a life-threatening emergency and need help from police, fire or medics. Unnecessary 911 calls block people with real emergencies from reaching 911 to get help. Fireworks violations can be reported to the Seattle Police non-emergency number at (206) 625-5011.